Marco Rubio's move sows panic in Havana

The strong statements made by President Donald Trump on October 23 during his political event in Florida, along with the message on X from Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging discreet cooperation with the CIA, reignite the topic of pressures on the regime in Havana.

Although some sectors try to dismiss these statements as mere campaign promises for the midterm elections, or simply "more of the same," the reality indicates that a blow is being dealt to a vulnerable point of the dictatorship: its internal cohesion, where mutual trust has been scarce.

Marco Rubio's call urging Cubans who desire a "positive change," which refers to a transition to democracy or deep political and economic transformations, represents a masterstroke.

This strategy targets the human factor within the framework of Castro's power. While the population as a whole longs for change, appealing to those who are part of the state and military apparatus—who hold the key information—transcends mere intelligence gathering. Its true impact could unleash an unprecedented socio-political crisis, undermining the fragile trust between the upper, middle, and lower echelons of the regime.

With this move, the U.S. administration sows the seeds of paranoia and widespread distrust within the ruling elite; Miguel Díaz-Canel, Raúl Castro, and the network of generals and officials supporting the repressive apparatus will find themselves compelled to look around in fear.

From today onwards, in every official office, in every ministry, and in every military unit, the question will be constant: who will be willing to cooperate to save their own skin?

In a dying regime, lacking economic viability and social support, loyalty becomes an extremely scarce commodity. Knowing that any collaborator, military personnel, or official could be leaking plans, obscure financial transactions, or strategic alliances with regimes openly hostile to the United States to secure their future impunity abruptly disrupts the chain of command. No one knows who will be the first to negotiate their exit before the collapse.

This strategy by Marco Rubio, in his dual role as Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, represents a psychological offensive to expedite the regime's downfall by exploiting its internal fissures.

The dictatorship lost popular support a long time ago, as evidenced by the constant protests in the streets. Now, with the latent threat of internal betrayal emerging, the United States could achieve a weakening from within. When suspicion paralyzes the leadership, its structure will begin to crumble under its own weight.

Although the question of when the dictatorship will fall remains open, the diplomatic, economic, and military pressure scenario continues, and now uncertainty will resurface in the halls of power in Havana. When fear changes sides and distrust paralyzes those in charge, the beginning of the end stops being a distant possibility and becomes a matter of time. The move from the North is still in play, and paranoia in Havana is just beginning.